Paradigms for Interaction New computing technologies arrive, creating a new perception of the human-computer relationship Batch processing -> Impersonal

Paradigms for Interaction


• New computing technologies arrive, creating a new perception of the human-computer relationship• Batch processing -> Impersonal computing• Time sharing -> Interactive computing• Networking -> Community computing• Graphical displays -> Direct manipulation• Microprocessor -> Personal computing• WWW -> Global information• Ubiquitous computing -> ???


Time-sharing

• 1940s and 1950s – explosive technological growth

• 1960s – need to channel the power

• Single computer supporting multiple users

IBM 360


Video Display Units

• More suitable medium than paper

• 1962 – Sutherland's Sketchpad

• Computers for visualizing and manipulating data

• One person's contribution could drastically change the history

of computing


Programming toolkits

• Engelbart at Stanford Research Institute

• 1963 – augmenting man's intellect

• 1968 NLS/Augment system demonstration

• The right programming toolkit provides building blocks to producing complex interactive systems• The tablet sdk makes developing for the tablet relatively

easy• The new microsoft games sdk has made the wiis easier to

program


Personal computing

• 1970s – Papert's LOGO language for simple graphics programming by children

• A system is more powerful as it becomes easier to user

• Future of computing in small, powerful machines dedicated to the individual

• Kay at Xerox PARC • Smalltalk – first OO language – visual interface• the Dynabook as the ultimate personal computer (better than

today’s PDAs)


Window systems and the WIMP interface• Humans can pursue more than one

task at a time

• Windows used for dialogue partitioning, to “change the topic”

• 1981 – Xerox Star first commercial windowing system

• Windows, icons, menus and pointers now familiar interaction

mechanisms


Metaphor

• Relating computing to other real-world activity is effective teaching technique

• LOGO's - turtle dragging its tail• File management on an office desktop• Word processing as typing• Financial analysis on spreadsheets• Virtual reality – user inside the metaphor• Paper - tablet • Problems

• Some tasks do not fit into a given metaphor• Cultural bias


Direct(?) manipulation

• 1982 – Shneiderman describes appeal of graphically-based interaction• Visibility of objects• Incremental action and rapid feedback• Reversibility encourages exploration• Syntactic correctness of all actions• Replace language with action

• 1984 – Apple Macintosh • The model-world metaphor• What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG)


More Direct Tablet

• Stylus direct onto output surface

• Inking• Recognition


Hypertext

• 1945 – Vannevar Bush and the memex

• Key to success in managing explosion of information

• Mid 1960s – Nelson describes hypertext as non-linear browsing structure

• Hypermedia and multimedia

• Nelson's Xanadu project still a dream today


Computer Supported Cooperative Work (CSCW)

• CSCW removes bias of single user / single computer system

• Can no longer neglect the social aspects

• Electronic mail is most prominent success


Groupware Taxonomy

Same place

Different time

Same time

Different place

“Synchronous, co-located”

• Whiteboard• Lecture/tutorial• Meeting• Decision Support Systems

“Synchronous, distributed”

• ICQ/IRC chat• MS Netmeeting• (Internet) Phone• Video conferencing

“Asynchronous, co-located”

• “Sticky notes”/annotations• Whiteboard, cabinet• Shared PC

“Asynchronous, distributed”

• Email, Newsgroups• ICQ message• Document repository


The World Wide Web

• Hypertext, as originally realized, was a closed system

• Simple, universal protocols (e.g. HTTP) and mark-up languages (e.g. HTML) made publishing and accessing easy

• Critical mass of users lead to a complete transformation of our information economy

• Browser centric desktop? • Browsers are terrible environments to really ‘program’


Ubiquitous Computing

“The most profound technologies are those that disappear.” Mark Weiser, 1991

• Late 1980’s: computer was very apparent

• How to make it disappear?• Shrink and embed/distribute it in the physical

world• Design interactions that don’t demand our

intention


Sensor-based and Context-aware Interaction

• Humans are good at recognizing the “context” of a situation and reacting appropriately

• Ambient Displays – John Downs ‘Kitchen notice board

• Automatically sensing physical phenomena (e.g., light, temp, location, identity) becoming easier

• How can we go from sensed physical measures to interactions that behave as if made “aware” of the surroundings?

Documents

Paradigms for Interaction New computing technologies arrive, creating a new perception of the human-computer relationship Batch processing -> Impersonal